Nike continues to stroll down memory lane with Air Max 1 collaborations, this time reviving the 2009 “Grand Piano” that dropped exclusively at Taiwan’s PHANTACi. Originally designed by the shop’s directors Ric and Jay Chou (yes, the Asian celebrity), this Air Max 1 had distinctive musical inspiration via the glossy piano black patent leather, the white uppers to match the keys, hits of bronze gold to mirror the inner workings of the instrument, a plush bright pink velvet.
Back in 2009, a mere 400 pairs of this Air Max 1 released exclusively in Taipei, with a Friends-And-Family only Hyperstrike version only stirring up the hunt for this elusive Air Max 1. Now, official images of the shoes have appeared, pointing to an eventual retro release in 2024.
The build of the shoe remains consistent with the 2009 version, with the original hot pink and black “PIANO” lace dubraes arriving fixed to the shoes. It seems that PHANTACi is not involved with this re-issue as those dubrae have been excluded. Based on the official images, it’s impossible to tell if the piano keys are returning to the insole, but given the attention to detail on this re-issue, we’d be surprised if that key add-on was omitted.
Currently, a release date for the Air Max 1 “Grand Piano” has not yet been revealed, so stay tuned for updates.
In other AM updates, here’s the latest on the Air Max Dn, which is set to launch in a variety of colorways on March 26th.